22 Dec SnoPlanks Model A

“Local snowboard company SnoPlanks is gaining speed with their 2016 flagship model, the Model A board, an advanced iteration of the company’s original bamboo snowboard. The Model A has a bamboo core from tip to tail, reinforced with carbon fiber, offered in both a splitboard and a solid model. SnoPlanks co-owner James Nicol describes the Model A as an “extremely fast, fun board in powder conditions, and very stable and responsive on hard pack.”

Bend’s innovative snowboard maker is also celebrating a big win at the Bend Venture Conference last fall—an eye-popping $100,000 as the top growth-stage company in the Outdoor Worx Venture Out competition. SnoPlanks’ entrepreneurial journey began in 2012, when Nicol and Ryan Holmes set out to create a distinctive board from bamboo, combining the qualities of both surfboards and snowboards. “Bamboo is an incredibly light, durable and lively wood, and the fishtail surfboard design is ideal for Mt. Bachelor’s powder-rich reputation” says Nicol.